Combat Photographer Brings 'Veterans Portrait Project' To Groton

GROTON, CT—Stacy Pearsall was 17 when she began taking military photos as a member of the U.S Air Force. Seventeen. Pearsall, who has traveled to more than 40 countries, did three combat tours. She earned the Bronze Star Medal and Air Force Commendation with Valor for combat actions in Iraq.

She is combat-disabled and retired from military service.

But her commitment to veterans and to military education as an author, educator, consultant and, a photographer, is more powerful than her disability, especially with her "service animal America’s VetDogs Charlie by her side."

On the website for her Veterans Portrait Project, she says, her injuries were sustained in Iraq. After, she said her "military career was over, my body was broken and my spirit was crushed. I'd lost hope in my future, faith in myself and passion for life. While rehabilitating, I spent countless idle hours in VA waiting rooms surrounded by veterans from every generation and branch of service. They inspired me to pick up my camera again so that I could honor and thank them with the only gift I had worth giving, my photography." And so the Veterans Portrait Project was born.

She has photographed thousands of veterans nationwide, archiving their history and service. She'll be taking complimentary individual photographsof veterans Saturday Aug. 12, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Submarine Force Museum, 1 Crystal Lake Road in Groton.

Reserve your spot here.

She wrote, "My new mission in life is to share the unique stories of military veteransand honor their service in a unique, creative way."

Each veteran has their portrait taken and receives a high-resolution portrait. She says "portraits and stories are also included in national printed exhibitions, showcased in video productions and shared via social media, thus ensuring their contributions to American military history are never lost."

"The Veterans Portrait Project collection represents the over 22 million military veterans in the United States. They’re young and old, male and female. They come from all walks of life and have varied religious beliefs, levels of education and racial ethnicity. What unites them all is their service," she wrote. "It’s a bond that cannot be broken, and I’m proud to be one of them."